Washing-machine



(No Model.)

J. T. LEGER.

WASHING MACHINE.

No 314,455. Patented Mar. 24, 1885.

N. PETERS. Pmc-mhn m har, Walhinglun. D. C,

llniirnn Sra'rns Farrier @rrren.

JOSEPH T. LEGER, OF WVALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 31 L455, dated March2%, 1385.

Application filed November 2, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J osnrn T. LEGER, a citizen of the Dominion ofCanada, now residing at l/Valtham, in the county of Middlesex and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWVashing- Machines; and I do hereby declare that the same are fullydescribed in the following specification and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. a a

This invention relates to improvements in washing-machines, and it iscarried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, where- Figure 1 represents a plan view of the in vention. Fig.2 represents a side elevation, and Fig. 3 represents a cross-section onthe line A B shown in Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts whereever they occur on thedifferent drawings.

The invention consists of a pair of side frames or supports, a,connected together at a proper distance apart by means of suitablebraces, a a, or equivalent means.

To the frames a a is pivoted at b b the outer shell, b, preferably madesemicircular, or nearly so, in shape, and provided on its interior witha number of slats, I) Z), by means of which a corrugated interior ofsaid shell or receptacle bis obtained, as shown in Fig.3. The upper endsof the receptacle 1) terminate as handles 1) b for the operator to takehold of in manipulating the machine.

I prefer to make the shell I) and its corrugated slat-s b b, of wood;but, if so desired, they may be made in whole or in partlof metal. b" bare the flat ends of the shell I). The upper ends of the frames to aterminate as forked hearings or guides a a, in which rests loosely thehorizontal bar 0, to which is secured the oscillating rubber O, composedof side pieces, 0 0, and lateral bars 0 c", secured to the side pieces,a c, in such a manner as to leave an open space between each successivebar or slat c in the series as shown in Fig.

o. The rubber O is made semicircular, or nearly so, in shape, andthrough its center is inserted the axle 0, the ends of which projectbeyond the outside of the side pieces, 0 c, and into grooves 6 6 made onthe inside of the end pieces b, b, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

parts of the The operation of the machine is as follows: The rubber O islifted up and removed entirely from the shell I), and the clothes to bewashed are put in the latter, with a proper amount of soap and water,after which the rubber G is placed within the shell I), the bottom ofthe said rubber resting on the clothes in the shell 11, the bar 0resting loosely in the forked guides a a and the projecting ends of theaxle c" resting loosely in the grooves b b on the inside of the endpieces, Zr 11*, and when in this position the fulcrum c of the rubber Ois located above the fulcra Z) I), on which the shell b swings. If new arocking motion is imparted to the shell I) by raising and depressing itshandles 12 6 it will be seen that the rubber O is caused to rockalternately in an opposite direction to that of the shell I), causingthe clothes contained in the space between them to be thoroughly worked,agitated, and rubbed on both upper and under sides at the same time, asthe water inthe shell I) is free to pass through the perforations orspaces between the slats or bars 0 c in the rubber O, and thus reachevery part of the clothes during the operation of the machine.

The machine may be worked by hand or by means of steam or other power,as may be required, according to the amount of wash ing that is to bedone. it will also be seen that the rubber 0 being held down onto theclothes in shell I) by its own weight only, and being loosely supportedand guided in the forked bearings a a, it will automatically yieldupward more or less, according to the thickness of the clothes containedin the semicircular space betwecn the interior of shell I), and exteriorof rubber O, and consequently all wear and tear of the clothes while inprocess of being washed is entirely obviated.

The invention in its operation is as nearly an imitation of ordinaryhand-washing as can be made in a machine, for the interior corru gatedsurface of the shell 2) serves as a corrugated wash-board, and theoscillating rubber G acts on the clothes similar to the hands andknuckles of an operator while in the act of washing.

After the clothes have been washed and rinsed the rubber G is removed,and the clothes taken out of the shell I), and so on, if more clothesare to be washed.

Having thus fully described the nature, eonthe frame, and the axle o ofthe rubber O resting struction, and operation of my invention, I andguided loosely in the grooves b b of the wish to secure by LettersPatent and claim shell, all arranged as and for the purpose set In awashing-machine, the combination of forth and described.

5 the frame a a, provided With the slots a a", In testimony whereof Ihave afiixed my sig- 15 the shell b, provided with the grooves 22 b onnature in presence of two witnesses. the inside of the ends of theshell, said shell JOSEPH T. LEGER. being pivoted to the frame a, theinternal rub- WVitnesses: her, 0, the bar 0, supporting said rubber, andl ALBAN ANDREN,

to having its ends guided in the slots a a on I HENRY OHADBOURN.

